tower



(No M0de1.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. A. TOWER.

GAR COUPLING No. 601,847. PatentedApr. 5,1898.

INVENTOR WITNESSES 2 -11m 2. ER. GAR COUPLING.

(N0 Mod Patented Apr. 5, 1898.

R O T N E V m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON A. TOWER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 60 1,847,'dated April5, 1898. Application filed November 29, 1897. Serial No. 660,038. (Nomodel.)

the following is a full, clear, and exact de-' scription, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this speci-"ficatlon, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of two opposing couplersconstructed in accordance with my invention and-interlocked with eachother, one of the couplers being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 2 Balongitudinal vertical section on the line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is afront elevationof the coupler, partly in section, on the line III III ofFig. 1, showing the knuckle locking and openingdevice raised but nottilted forwardly. Fig. 4 isavertical cross-section, also on the line IIIIIIof Fig. 1, showing the locking and opening device in the positionwhich it occupies when it has been moved to throw the knuckle open. Fig.5 is a plan view of two opposing couplers, one

of the couplers (marked A) showing the modification of my invention,which'is illustrated in Fig. 6, and the coupler marked B- showing themodification which is illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig; dis a vertical sectionthrough the coupler-head, showing a modification of my invention. Fig. 7is a section taken on a sectional plane at right angles to that of Fig6, showing a second modification of the inviention. Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the sti t.

In the drawings I show myimproved device applied to and combined with acar-coupler.

known as the Tower coupler, described in Letters Patent No. 541,446,granted to C. A; Tower on June 18, 1895. e

In the drawings, 2 represents the couplerhead, having a knuckle 3',pivoted on a pin 4, and having an outer arm b and an inner arm or tail0, the end of which has'a rearwardlyextending hook portion 61. Thelocking device is constituted by an angled locking and opening piecehaving a member 6, which extends transversely over the tail of theknuckle, a dependent locking block or head 7, and a rear arm f, whichextends downwardly at the rear of the the tail, and when the knuckle islocked passes Vertically through a guide-hole angled piece until a notchh on the upper side of the member 6 engages ashoulder a on thecoupler-head, whereupon the angled piece will tip radially in a verticalplane and by bringing its rearwardly-depending arm f into actionupon theknuckles tail will move the knuckle outwardly into position.

If when the unlocking of the coupler is effected it is engaged with thecoupler of another car, the knuckle cannot be thrown open .until the twocouplers are disengaged; but it is often desirable when two; couplersare in engagement and the cars stationary to unlock one of them and toset the lock in unlocked position, so that when the cars are eventuallyseparated the coupler will freely open. My improved device enables su'chfunction to be performed in a more efficient manner than has been doneheretofore. Back of the position which the rear end of the tail of theknuckle occupies when closed is a stilt-shaped piece 10, which I call alock-set or stilt,

'set in upright position in a guideway 11, in

which it is adapted to move upwardly, so that its upper end may projectabove the top of the draw-head. This lock-set or stilt has an arm 12,adapted to be engaged by the locking device in the upward motion of thelatter,

and a supporting portion or step 13, adapted to fit under and uphold thelocking device, as explained below. The distance between the foot of thestilt and the arm 12 is such that when the stilt is raised its foot mayengage and rest upon the tail of the knuckle. When the knuckle islocked, the stilt rests idly in upright position back of the end of theknuckles tail and back of the lock, the arm l2 ext'ending over and inthe upward path of the member 6 or other part of the lock and the step13 being below the level of the base of the lock or thatportion thereofwith which it is adapted to engage. The stilt is thus free from thelocknot tied or fastened theretoand is in a sense a loose or floatingpiece.

Suppose now that the coupler containing the stilt is locked inengagement with the coupler of another car, that both cars arestationary on the track, and that it is desired to unlock the couplerand to set the lock in unlocked position. For this purpose the brakemanraises the locking-block by manipulation of the usual lifting-lever, andas the lock rises its member a will engage the arm 12 and will raise thestilt vertically in its guideway until its foot clears the knuckle.Throughout this upward motion the stilt at all altitudes maintains asliding bearing against the metal at the rear of the aperture in thedraw-head through which it passes. The result of such motion and slidingcontact when the coupler is interlocked with the coupler of another caris (when the stilt reaches the position shown in dotted lines at AinFig. 2 and has cleared the knuckle) to project the foot of the stiltforward, and when the lifting-lever of the lock is released by thebrakeman the foot of the stilt will be seated in a transverse basin orgroove 14, which is formed to receive it on the tail of the knuckle andwhich leads toward the margin of the knuckle. Thereupon the lock comesto rest upon the step 13, which supports the lock freely in unlockedposition in the manner of a step or supportingblock, as shown in fulllines at A in Fig. 2. \Vhen the lifting-lever is released, the stilt, asabove stated, comes into supporting position in the basin or groove 14and the staff or body of the stilt will tilt'or tend to tilt forwardaway from the rear edge of the aperture at the end of its guideway; butwhen, as described below, the support for the stilt is removed byopening the knuckle or by tilting the stilt by hand, so as to free itfrom its re taining basin or groove and to drop the lock, in eitherevent it drops to the points of contact shown at B in Fig. 2, and thebearing relations and positions of the stilt, as explained above, willbe repeated at the next manipulation of the lock. The coupler being thenheld unlocked by the above-described operation of the lockset the carsmay be separated from each other. Vhen this is done, the unlockedknuckle will be drawn open by the act of separation, and as the tail ofthe knuckle then moves outwardly the foot of the stilt will continue torest in the groove or basin 14 and will be guided and retained therebyuntil it reaches the margin of the moving knuckle, whereupon the stiltwill be unseated and will drop back of the kuuckles tail, thus releasingthe lock, which (the knuckle then being partly opened) does not need anylonger to be supported and will drop upon the knuckles tail. When theknuckle is again closed, the lock, being unsupported by the lock-set orstilt, will drop into locking position in front of the tail, thusrestoring the parts into the position shown at B in Fig. 2. During thetime when the lock-set or stilt'is in supporting position the rearshoulder or rim of the basin 14 on the side next to the rear end of theknuckle, in which basin its foot fits, retains the stilt positively in astable position quite independently of the action of gravity until theknuckle is opened far enough to unseat the foot of the stilt and topermit it to drop in the manner above explained. The rim or shoulderwhich forms the rear margin of the basin or groove has the importantfunction of preventing displacement of the lock-set during motion of thecar.

If after the lock-set has been set in supporting position and before theknuckle is opened it be desired to release the lock, this can easily beeifected by raising somewhat and tipping forward the upper projectingend or staff of the stilt, whereupon its foot will be disengaged fromthe knuckle and it will drop behind the tail, releasing the lock andpermitting it to drop into locked position. This is rendered feasible,because the stilt, as explained above, is a floating piece, not fastenedto the lock, and because its end projects.

When the angled locking and opening piece is raised and tipped for thepurpose of swinging the knuckle open, it engages and raises the lock-setor stilt, throwing its lower end forward, as above explained, and thenas the angled piece engages the top of the drawhead the angled pieceitself tips, throws the knuckle open, and when it reaches the limit ofits throw it supports the stilt until the knuckle is again closed,whereup011 the angled piece is pushed back by the knuckle to the wall of thecoupler-head and it, together with the stilt, will drop into theiroriginal positions.

The function of the parts of the lock-set or stilt 10 will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description. The step 13 serves merely asa block to support the lock, and the lifting-arm l2 enables the lock-setto be raised, but takes no part in the supporting of the lock.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show modifications of my improvement which operate inthe same manner as the forms of the invention above described aud whichillustrate very clearly its principle of operation. In Fig. 7 and in thepart B of Fig. 5, which show that form of my invention which I firstdevised, the stafi of the stilt is formed with a vertical slot 10,through which passes a pin 15, mounted in the draw-head. The slotpermits the stilt to be raised vertically on the pin, and the pinpermits to it the forward motion necessary to bring it into supportingposition on the knuckle, as shown in Fig. 7, when it has been lifted tothe plane of the surface of the knuckle by engagement of the lock withits arm 12in the act of lifting the look.

In Fig. 6 and at A in Fig. 5 the staff of the stilt passes freelythrough a sleeve 16, which is mounted on trunnions 16 in the top of thedraw-head. The staff of the stilt can move upwardly in the sleeve andthe sleeve is adapted to turn on its trunnions when the stilt is movedforward into the supporting position illustrated in Fig. 6.

I am the first to combine a lock-set or lookholding device with aknuckle-locking and knuckle-opening mechanism in such manner that thelock-set or holder will be engaged and moved into supporting position bythe act of unlocking the knuckle and will be supported by the action ofthe parts in throwing the knuckle open. I intend to claim suchcombination broadly Whether the lockin g and opening piece isconstructed as shown in the drawings or is modified.

My improvement renders unnecessary the supporting-lugs commonly appliedto the chain-1ifting levers of car-couplers, which, al though theysupport the lock, require to be disengaged by hand before the couplerwill again lock, and this result is accomplished in my improvement withmore security than has been afforded by prior lock-setting devices andwith less complicationof parts. Furthermore, the capability of trippingthe lock-set or stilt with facility is of importance, and as the stiltis made in a separate or floating piece if it be removed or broken theaction of the other parts of the coupler will not be impaired and it canbe replaced or renewed with ease.

Those skilled in the art will be able to modify the construction of theparts of myim provement Without departure from the principle of theinvention as defined in the following claims. In one of said claims Iintend to cover the knuckle as an article of manufacture, having at thesurface of the end of the tail a retaining and guiding basin or groove.

I claim 1. A coupler having a knuckle, a movable lock, a floatinglock-set unattached to the lock and having a portion extending into thepath of its motion so as to be engaged, raised and moved laterallythereby into supporting position; substantially as described.

2. A coupler having a knuckle, an upwardly-movable look, a floatinglock-set unattached to the lock and having a portion extending into thepath of its motion so as to be engaged and raised thereby, and having ahearing at the draw-head whereby it may be moved into the supportingengagement With the tail of the knuckle; substantially as described.

set unattached to the lock, but having a locksupporting step, and an armextending into the path of the locks motion and adapted to besuccessively engaged, raised and moved laterally thereby into supportingposition on the knuckles tail; substantially as described.

4. A coupler having a knuckle, a movable lock, and a stilt-likelock-setconsisting of an upright bar having projecting portions between whichthe lock operates to move the lock-set; substantially as described.

5. A coupler having a knuckle, a locking and knuckle-opening piecemovable to open the knuckle, and a lock-set adapted to be raised intosupporting position by the locking and opening piece when the motion ofthe latter is restrained by the interlocking of a companion knuckle andto be supported by the locking and opening piece when the latter ismoved to the limit of its motion in opening the knuckle ;v substantiallyas described.

6. A coupler-knuckle having on the upper surface of its tail a basin orgroove adapted to support and retain the foot ofa lock-set, said basinor groove having a retaining-rim on the side next to the end of thetail; substantially as described.

7. A coupler-knuckle having on the surface of the end portion of itstail a basin or groove leading toward the margin of the knuckle andadapted to support and retain the foot of a lock-set, and a lock-set orstilt whose foot is adapted to fit in said groove and which extendsupwardly through the draw-bar; substantially asdescribed.

8. A stilt-shaped lock-set having a locksupporting stepportion, and. alifting-arm, said parts providing an intermediate space adapted toreceive a lock by which the lockset is operated; substantially asdescribed.

9. A stilt-shaped lock-set having a locksupporting step portion, andalifting-arm, said partsproviding an intermediate space adapted toreceive a lock by which the lockset is operated,said lock-set extendingthrough the draw-head to the exterior thereof; substantially asdescribed. H

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLINTON A. TOWER.

Witnesses:

O. K. BROOKS, D. W. CALL.

